weight loss, watery green poop, lethargy...what antibiotic to try?

[NYC feather fam]

NEWSFLASH!!

We've discovered Bubs has coccidia from her stool sample. No results back on the stool c/s to see if there is a secondary fungal or bacterial infection. We are treating with Sulfa methazine that we ordered from Jeffers.

I am happy to report that prior to beginning treatment there were some signs of improving health. She drank water on her own and is walking around and becoming more vocal. She sought out the live food that was offered to her instead of waiting for it to be placed in front of her, so our efforts are working.

The sulfa-methazine stated add 1oz medication to every gallon of water. We figured this out to a dilution factor of about 1 cc per 1/2 cup of water so that is what we started treating with.

Anyone had results treating with thus medication? experience with coccidia?

thanks for all your help and support!

 

[PoultryPedia]

WOW!!! Surprise!!!
I'm so glad you found out!!! So glad you had the stool sample tested!!!! The vet's recommendation of the testing turns out to have been wise.
Myself, I only think of coccidiosis in reference to chicks (which is of course an erroneous perspective) & never would have thought of that.
I hope treatment goes very well!!!

 

[silkiechicken]

Weight loss, watery poop, lethargic bird... classic signs of cocci. Unless there is an open wound, a lesion, or bumble foot, antibiotics will 99% of the time do nothing because most things that hit chickens hard are internal/external parasites, or viral

ETA: Should have finished reading the thread.

Cocci is very common and can show up in older birds if they are stressed. Coccidositants such as sulmet (what you have) and amprol both work most of the time. She should show signs of recovery in just a few days. Maybe a week since it has been an ongoing problem. Cocci is in the soil and most birds are immune. Since she is old and has been laying funny eggs, her overall health and the weather together may be making her more susceptible to cocci thus the rest are fine.

 

[NYC feather fam]

Ok......so c/s is back. and it shows she has proteus and e coli as well as the coccidia. Sigh. poor thing. I have to start treating with baytil or trimethaprim sulfa as soon as possible. she definitely showed some signs of improvement after being treated with the sulmet but her poop is still really abnormal....small dark green solids, yellowish-whitish liquid/mucus. Each bowel movement is very small.

She seems to have gained a bit of weight. I have to weigh her tomorrow.

Any advice on supporting her system to try to get her through this......I am afraid these organisms will just take over her body and she will succom to her illness....the other birds seem ok but we just moved them to a new coop so now I am afraid they are going to be extra stressed and more susceptible so getting sicker as they already have watery poop.

 

[juliawitt]

Good Luck and Hugs...it is soooo hard when your chickens are ill. While treating with the sulfa drugs, I would give a little plain yogurt. Yogurt has 'good' organism in it and they love it!! Sulfa drugs can be hard on chickens but it will work. Hopefully, all will be well soon. The heat has caused alot of stress for chickens this year. Even though normally, they may not have succumbed to cocci, the stress from the heat has probably has lowered their immunity. Keep up the good work and try giving some yogurt.

 

[NYC feather fam]

Yes, I was also recommended to give buttermilk because of the beneficial cultures and because it basically coats their digestive tract while yogurt can kind of go right through them.

I noticed bloody stools in the other birds today. I know this is often seen with coccidia and these are the first bloody stools I have seen. They are very unhappy just now because we moved them into a new coop and also are treating with the sulfa. I am trying to support them as best I can....I hope they can all make it.

 

[luzmiila]

how you clean her vent ?

 

[Breakofday316]

Thank you for this post! How's your chicken now?

 

[emilypemily]

My chicken has stopped eating/drinking and isn't very lethargic but not herself, her crop keeps gurgling and we took her to the vets, but they couldn't identify what was wrong, she got given an antibiotic and we have been given some to give to her ourselves. after, she started having watery green poops, I read about the fact that it could be due to mouldy food and recently we have experienced torrential rain and her feed got wet, she seemed to enjoy eating it when it was wet so I presume this may be the case. I will be grateful for any feedback!

 

[PoultryPedia]

Green poop usually indicates that a chicken isn't eating enough, so there is a lot of concentrated green bile in each poop. I would see if you can tempt her into eating more via tasty treats such as applesauce, rolled oats (ie. oatmeal), etc. Also, as you are giving an antibiotic it really helps to mix into her food a probiotic such as acidopholus (You can use the powder from a supplement capsule for people) during treatment and for a while after. Just give the probiotic at least couple hours away from each dose of antibiotic.